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Are you ready for some winter football?
That appears to be the plan for the Big Ten, according to a league head coach who spoke to GoldandBlack.com on the condition of anonymity on Thursday.
“I think it's eight games and then a Big Ten title game and then possibly a Rose Bowl game,” said the head coach.
Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported earlier this week that the Big Ten was working on crafting a plan to play in January and February 2021 and utilizing domes in the Big Ten footprint as venues.
The source that spoke to GoldandBlack.com generally confirmed the Journal Sentinel report while providing some clarity and more details.
The head coach said the main reason for the Big Ten to try to play in the winter of 2021 was because it would allow the Big Ten to turnaround and play a normal 12-game schedule in the fall of 2021.
“It’s all about preserving the (fall) '21 season,” said the head coach.
“If you look at it, by the end of this (winter) season, it'd be very similar to spring ball, and you're talking about still having a four-month recovery. The whole reason for this model is to do everything we possibly can to protect the ’21 season, because you don't want this one year that's a mess to turn into two years that’s a mess.”
By playing a truncated eight-game schedule this winter, the Big Ten can get back to a normal rotation quickly.
“But then you know the other problem you're gonna have is if the SEC and ACC and those schools play (this fall),” said the head coach. “And then we don't, and then we're playing this (winter) model, then they're all out recruiting and we're not.
"There's so many implications to this. And the problem is, a lot of times, the people that are making the decisions have no understanding of all the implications that come with the decisions.”
Another reason for the Big Ten playing in the winter instead of the spring: Player retention. The Big Ten is worried about players opting out and leaving to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft, which is being held April 29-May 1. The Big Ten already has seen several stars opt out this summer, including Purdue's Rondale Moore, Penn State's Micah Parsons and Minnesota's Rashod Bateman, among others. Northwestern just saw star offensive tackle Rashawn Slater opt out on Thursday.
By starting the winter season as soon as the calendar flips to January 2021 and ending it in late February, players would still have over six weeks to prepare for the draft.
“Try to get this (plan) out so some guys feel like they don’t have to make that decision (to opt out), said the head coach.
The Big Ten’s plan to play in the winter could be announced next week.
“We thought that, but it doesn’t seem to be going that fast,” said the head coach. “I don’t know.”
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Something else that isn't clear: Will other bowls be played in addition to the Rose, which as mentioned also is a possibility?
“I think there's some conversation,” said the head coach “But the problem is when you do that, you get too dependent on other conferences. But there were some conversations about doing a one vs. one, two vs. two, three vs. three (Big Ten vs. Pac-12 bowl matchups), but I don't know if that's realistic.”
The source confirmed the Journal Sentinel report that the Big Ten is considering using domes in Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium), Detroit (Ford Field) and Minneapolis (U.S. Bank Stadium). The report also mentioned domes in St. Louis (The Dome at America’s Center) and Syracuse (Carrier Dome) as possible venues, but that doesn’t seem likely.
“Syracuse was one that was initially on the table that we'd like to do, especially for the teams like Penn State and Rutgers and Maryland that there'd be a lot more travel for them,” said the Big Ten head coach. “But the issue and the challenge is that Syracuse has got basketball and lacrosse, so it's just gonna be harder to pull off.”
As for St. Louis.
“I hadn’t heard St. Louis,” said the head coach.
Would Big Ten teams be assigned to a domed stadium as their “home” venue?
“I think what they’re gonna try to do is like, literally, Minnesota may be traveling away from their local spot because you're trying to have some equity in the travel,” said the source.
And for now, there are no plans to have fans.
“Correct,” said the source. “I mean, as of right now. You never know by the time we get to it.”
The Big Ten postponed its 2020 season on August 11, as conference officials felt the environment was too unsafe for players amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pac-12 quickly followed suit.
Two days later, Purdue coach Jeff Brohm went public with a detailed and nuanced nine-page plan to play football in the spring and fall of 2021. Brohm’s plan called for an eight-game spring season running from February 8-April 17. And a 10-game fall season running from October 2-December 11.
“Brohm’s plan was an option,” said the head coach. “But there were people working on options. And then, all sudden, his came out publicly.
“I think he was trying to get something going and show some possible options, which is fine. But there were people in the Big Ten, coaches, as well, that were working on a model already that was pretty far along. So, I think the winter model is a real possibility. But, I think Jeff, there were some good things in his stuff. I just think he was trying to get something going.”
While the Big Ten refines its plans to play this winter, the SEC, ACC and Big 12—the other Power Five conferences—continue to march toward playing this fall.
“It's just a mess,” said the source. “And the reality is that this is not good for college football, because we're all going to be on different schedules.
“And it's going to take a while to get everything regulated and back to normal. So, the reality is, instead of doing what's right in the Big Ten, and instead of doing what's right for the SEC and instead of doing what's right for the ACC, we should be doing what's right for college football.”
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